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Teacher charged with sexual assault posts bail; court date set

A former Bryant teacher posted bail shortly after she surrendered voluntarily at the Saline County Detention Center on Wednesday morning, authorities say.
Courtney Speer, 31, has been charged with six counts of sexual assault of a minor: four counts in Bryant and two counts in Benton.
Lt. Don Birdsong of the Saline County Detention Center said Speer was released after posting bond. Bail was set at $20,000 and the court date is slated for Nov. 13.
Speer allegedly engaged in a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old Bryant High School student, said Sgt. Todd Crowson of the Bryant Police Department. Speer resigned Monday from her position as a ninth-grade English teacher at Bryant High School.
The case stems from a joint investigation involving both the Benton and Bryant police departments because incidents allegedly occurred in both jurisdictions — in the school parking lot in Bryant and at Speer's home in Benton.
At the time of the alleged incidents, Speer was employed at Bryant High School, Crowson said.
According to Bryant police, school resource officers notified investigators Monday of the alleged sexual assaults.
Police say the student involved in the alleged incidents gave statements to investigators that he and Speer engaged in sexual intercourse for the first time in June of this year inside her vehicle while it was parked on the Bryant High School parking lot, Crowson said. The student told investigators this happened on four different occasions in the parking lot.
He was a student of Speer’s when he was in the ninth grade, Crowson said.
The investigation is continuing.